Between the Lines 2017 - Articles Page 12

'Newton,' a film directed by Amit V Masurkar has been chosen as the Best Feature Film of the Year 2017 in a survey done by IFI. Newton's lead protagonist Rajkummar Rao has received the Best Performance (Male). Vidya Balan got Best Performance by an Actress in 2017 for 'Tumhari Sulu' directed by Suresh Triveni. The survey involving some of the top Indian Film Critics. The full list of feature films is as under: 1. Newton (Hindi): Directed by Amit V Masurkar 2. A Death in the Gunj (English-Hindi): Directed by KonkonaSen Sharma 3. Mukti Bhavan (Hindi): Directed by ShubhashishBhutiani 4. Lipstick Under My Burkha (Hindi): Directed by Alankrita Srivastava 5. Anaarkali of Aarah (Hindi): Directed by Avinash Das 6. Trapped (Hindi): Directed by VikramadityaMotwane 7. Ajji (Hindi): Directed by DevashishMakhija 8. Take Off (Malayalam-English): Directed by Mahesh Narayan 9. Secret Superstar(Hindi) Directed by Advait Chandan & Jagga Jasoos(Hindi): Directed by AnuragBasu 10. Hirakata Prasanga (Kannada): Directed by Ananya Kasarvalli and Atanu Ghosh's Mayurakshi. Rajkummar Rao has been chosen as the Best Actor of 2017 for his performances in 'Newton' directed by Amit V Masurkar, 'Trapped' by Vikramaditya Motwane and 'Bareilly Ki Barfi' directed by Ashwini Iyer Tiwari. The actor from Gurgaon emerged the clear winner followed by Irrfan at 2nd position for his work in varied films like 'Hindi Medium,' 'Doob: No Bed of Roses' (a Bangladesh India co-production)and 'Qarib Qarib Single.' The third top performer on the IFI list is Pankaj Tripathy seen in 'Gurgaon,' 'Newton,' 'Bareilly Ki Barfi' and 'Anaarkali of Aarah' in 2017. The survey conducted by the Indian Film Institute an NGO and a Not for Profit body invited top 14 Film Critics of the country through a rating mechanism where a film rated by the Critic at No. 1 spot got 10 marks while the one placed at No. 10 got 01 mark and so on. To pick a fair representation of films cutting across languages and regions, Critics were chosen from all corners of India. The Critics who participated in the Survey include Ajay Brahmatmaj, Swapan Mullick, Gautaman Bhaskaran, Saibal Chatterjee, K N T Sastry, Ratnottama Sengupta, Namrata Joshi, Dalton L, Alaka Sahani, Sachin Chate, M K Raghavendra, Siraj Syed, Chandi Mukherjee and Arnab Bannerjee. Speaking about the survey Manjulaa Shirodkar, Director, Indian Film Institute said, 'The pan India exercise is the first-of-its-kind done in the country to reach a consensus among critics to assess the best of Indian cinema. They were asked to share their preferences and not provided a shortlist. What is heartening to note is that the films that made it to the top are those which have the backing of mainstream production houses like Disney India; Junglee Pictures, T Series and Prakash Jha Productions. 'And it is great to see that the actors adjudged the best, be it Rajkummar Rao, Vidya Balan, Irrfan or Ratna Pathak Shah, enjoy fan following across spectrum, blurring the fine lines between so called mainstream and niche cinema. The IFI seeks to redefine the film appreciation dynamics in our country through this exercise.' Of the 52 films that came up in the final listing, 3 from the top 10 are directed by women filmmakers. Interestingly, Aamir Khan's production 'Secret Superstar' was tied with Jagga Jasoos at No.9 while a small budget film like 'Harikatha Prasanga' on the life of a Yakshagana artist directed by Ananya Kasarvalli tied at No. 10 along with Atanu Ghosh's Mayurakshi. Each of the Top 10 films has successfully experimented with content and genre. Take Jagga Jasoos, A Death in the Gunj, Mukti Bhavan, Trapped, Ajji, Take Off and even Harikatha Prasanga. Clearly content and script are the winners in the IFI list. The Indian Film Institute is a Not for Profit NGO established by Filmmaker, Film Festival Director Manoj Srivastava and Film Critic and Film Historian Saibal Chatterjee. The NGO works for the benefit of film makers supporting them with free advice and resources. The IFI works for promotion of the cinematic art through Film Screenings, Film Festivals, Workshops, Master Classes, Film Appreciation courses and also funds researches on Indian Cinema.

Birdland Jazz Club announces March 2018 schedule featuring Steps Ahead Meets Soulbop, Cyrus Chestnut Quartet, Jane Bunnett and Maqueque, Steve Smith 'Groove: Blue' Organ Trio, The Tristano Project, Laila Biali, Cynthia Sayer, Corcoran Holt, Anita Gillette, Jim Caruso's Cast Party, and more!

1,500 musical theatre students and educators will join Megan Hilty ("Smash!", Wicked); Jeff Calhoun (Newsies, Bonnie & Clyde on Broadway); Sacramento's own Jenifer Foote (Broadway's Gypsy of the Year, Hello Dolly! on Broadway); Curt Hansen (Kinky Boots national tour, Hairsprayon Broadway); Elyssa Samsel & Kate Anderson ('Olaf's Frozen Adventure;' Between the Lines, Kansas City Rep); Coy Middlebrook (director of ABC's Musical Special ENCORE), New York Times Bestselling Author Jodi Picoult (Between the Lines, "Off the Page"), and YouTube sensation Tyler Mount for the 2018 Junior Theater Festival West (#JTF18, #JTFWEST), happening February 9-11, 2018 at the Sacramento Memorial Auditorium and the Sacramento Convention Center Complex in Sacramento, CA. 

Town Hall Theatre 'Generations' Season 2017-2018 jumps into 2018 with Alan Ayckbourn's dark comedy, WOMAN IN MIND. WOMAN IN MIND will have 12 performances, including two previews, March 1 through March 24, 2018, at Town Hall Theatre Company, 3535 School Street, in Lafayette, CA.

The Straz Center for the Performing Arts is proud to announce the Broadway musical, Hamilton will play its premiere Tampa engagement, Feb. 12-March 10, 2019, and anchor the 2018-2019 Bank of America Broadway at The Straz season. The Broadway series is also headlined by the 2017 Tony Award-winning Best Musical Dear Evan Hansen.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis is proud to announce five of the six shows for its 52nd Mainstage season.

For 2018-19, MadLab has declared it their The Future is Now season as all of their full length shows next year are sci-fi takes on the near future and, in one instance, the near past. In addition to those 3 shows, it is another jam packed year including their 20th Theatre Roulette, their 7th Young Writer's Short Play Festival, the latest version of Date Night by their resident improv troupe FFN, and more.

Kneehigh founder and owner of the world's most malleable face David Mynne brings his extraordinary one-man portrayal of Charles Dickens's Great Expectationsto the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts (The Wallis) for six performances only in February. With just a suitcase, bowler hat, tiny forge, candlestick, mirror and some cloth, Mynne tells the gothic tale of Pip's journey through life and his great expectations at the hands of a mystery benefactor. Directed by fellow Kneehigh colleague Simon Harvey, Great Expectations will be performed in the Lovelace Studio Theater from Thursday, February 8 through Sunday, February 11.

92Y announces casting for a concert performance of the new musical Between the Lines on Sunday, January 28. This new musical in development is based on the bestselling book by Jodi Picoult and her daughter Samantha van Leer.

The Film Society of Lincoln Center announces Life Is a Dream: The Films of Ra l Ruiz (Part 2), February 9-18. Following a memorable first part in December 2016, FSLC is pleased to present the next edition of an ongoing retrospective devoted to Ruiz, among the great visionaries in film history and perhaps its most intrepid explorer of the unconscious.

The Film Society of Lincoln Center announces Life Is a Dream: The Films of Raul Ruiz (Part 2), February 9-18. Following a memorable first part in December 2016, FSLC is pleased to present the next edition of an ongoing retrospective devoted to Ruiz, among the great visionaries in film history and perhaps its most intrepid explorer of the unconscious.

In the last few months of his short life, prolific Austrian composer Franz Schubert wrote some of the most miraculous music ever created. Now, acclaimed Los Angeles-based pianist Ory Shihor presents the story behind Schubert's last compositions in the world premiere of Last Thoughts: Schubert's Final Works at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts (The Wallis) on Saturday, January 20, 2018 at 7:30pm. With words by master musical storyteller Hershey Felder, Shihor's program includes the two of three final piano sonatas created by Schubert, who bridged the worlds of Classical and Romantic music in the early nineteenth century. This performance is made possible in part by the generous support of Camille and Arnon Adar.

BottleRock Napa Valley 2018, presented by JaM Cellars, announces its sixth annual festival lineup today, which includes headline artists Bruno Mars, The Killers and Muse.

BottleRock Napa Valley 2018, presented by JaM Cellars, announces its sixth annual festival lineup today, which includes headline artists Bruno Mars, The Killers and Muse. The three-day music, wine, food and craft brew festival will take place in the heart of the City of Napa at the Napa Valley Expo, May 25 - 27, 2018. Festival passes go on sale at 10AM PST on Tuesday, January 9, 2018 at BottleRockNapaValley.com.

An interview with director Timothy Reese, who discusses the process of a first read-through of 'Heathers: The Musical' - which opens January 5 at the Hillcrest Center for the Arts in Thousand Oaks.

The 2017 awards honor productions which opened between October 1, 2016 and September 30, 2017. Nominations were completely reader-submitted and after the nomination period ended October 31, BroadwayWorld's local editors proofed the list for eligibility and errors.

The ACT Arts Centre and The Ridge Film Studios, with the support of the City of Maple Ridge, are thrilled to present the second edition of the Maple Ridge Festival of BC Film. Highlighting films created in beautiful British Columbia, the festival is scheduled to take place at The ACT Arts Centre from Friday, March 23 to Sunday, March 25, 2018.

The 2017 awards honor productions which opened between October 1, 2016 and September 30, 2017. Nominations were completely reader-submitted and after the nomination period ended October 31, BroadwayWorld's local editors proofed the list for eligibility and errors.

Chicago Opera Theater (COT) presents 'Elizabeth Cree,' a suspenseful and thrilling tale set in Victorian London, based on the novel 'The Trial of Elizabeth Cree' by Peter Ackroyd.

Continuing the celebration of Japan Society's 110th anniversary, Japan Society Gallery is pleased to announce the spring 2018 exhibition A Giant Leap: The Transformation of Hasegawa To?haku, commemorating the life and artistic legacy of Hasegawa To?haku (1539 1610), one of Japan's most beloved painters, artistic innovators and founder of the 16th-century Hasegawa school of painting. For the first time in a New York City venue, visitors will have an unparalleled opportunity to experience more than ten of To?haku's most celebrated works in a single space, including four Important Cultural Properties from Japanese collections.

Six diverse female-identified women will take the Red Sandcastle stage by storm this December 14th-17th, 2017, in LOVE BETWEEN THE LINES, presented by HERstory Counts and directed by Jennifer Neales with assistant director Ellie Posadas.

Niegel Smith, Artistic Director and Carol Ostrow, Producing Director of The Flea Theater proudly announce the slate for their spring season, which will feature three world premieres, the return of its late-night series Serials, as well as new programming Cereals, plays for younger audiences and Flea Fridays, an immersive weekend cabaret.

Actress, Amanda Sox has performed and lived all over the country. This fall she is stepping into the shoes of Jen in The Warehouse Theatre's production of the popular 'The Cake' by female playwright Bekah Brunstetter. I was lucky enough to sit down with Sox to discuss her perspective on the process and thoughts on the piece as a whole.

Segerstrom Center for the Arts welcomes the Center debut performance of the acclaimed Eb ne Quartet on March 4, 2018 at 2: 00pm. Since coming to international attention after winning first prize at the ARD Music Competition in 2004, the Eb ne Quartet has been thrilling audiences and critics with their superb renditions of classical favorites and arrangements of popular and jazz works. What began as a distraction in university practice rooms has re sulted i n one of today's most praised classical ensembles, renowned for its unique style and fresh approach to the chamber repertoire. The Eb ne Quartet won the 2009 Gramophone Awards for both Recording of the Year and Chamber music. Quartet members includ e Pierre Colombet and Gabriel Le Magadure, violins; Marie Chilemme, viola; and Rapha l Merlin, violoncello.

The 2017 awards honor productions which opened between October 1, 2016 and September 30, 2017. Nominations were completely reader-submitted and after the nomination period ended October 31, BroadwayWorld's local editors proofed the list for eligibility and errors.